Richland Center, WI: Due to the extreme cold forecasted for the next few days, the following Richland County warming centers have been identified by Richland County Public Health. The Richland County Courthouse will be the primary warming center and will have Conference Room 2 open for individuals during weekdays from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. Other options may include the Richland Center Community/Senior Center during its business hours, 8:00AM to 5:00PM daily.

Warming centers have also been opened in Viola. The Viola Public Library is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30AM to 12:30 PM and from 1:00PM to 5:00PM and on Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 to 7:00PM. If needed, the library will also be open from 9:30AM to 12:30PM on Saturday. If the library needs to accessed, please call 627-1850 to ensure that the building is open. Options in Viola may also include the Village of Viola Office open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM daily. Before accessing the Viola Village Office please call 627-1831 to confirm its availability.

In Lone Rock, the Lone Rock Village Office will be open from 8:00AM to 4:00PM for those seeking relief from the cold.

Local officials will determine whether warming centers are safe to be open. Listen for updated announcements regarding whether a site is open.

Utilization of the sites will be monitored to identify if a need exists or if the weather warrants the continued need for such.

Visit the Richland County website at co.richland.wi.us. Select the Emergency Management and Resources tabs for more information on the location of warming center locations.

Take Precautions Against Extreme Cold Temperatures

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) wants everyone to take precautions as dangerously cold temperatures blanket the state. The National Weather Service is forecasting the
coldest periods will begin late Thursday, January 24, and continue into Saturday morning, January 26. Wind chill readings of 25 to 40 below zero will be possible each night. Wind chills of 20 to 25 below zero will be possible nearly every night into the middle of next week.“In the 2017-2018 winter season, 38 Wisconsin residents died from exposure to extreme cold,” said Chuck Warzecha, Deputy Administrator of the DHS Division of Public Health. “We want people to take every precaution to protect themselves, and we also urge them to check on family, friends, and neighbors to make sure they’re safe too.”

To protect yourself and your family during extreme cold, follow these safety tips:

Stay inside. It’s the best to be when temperatures are dangerously cold.

Stock a home emergency kit. Your home kit should include items such as food and water, cell phone and charger, flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, important medications, a weather radio, and a change of clothes.

Dress in layers. If you have to venture out, dress in several loose-fitting layers. Wear a hat, mittens, and snow boots. Use a scarf to cover your nose, mouth, and face.

Know the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. Warning signs include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, and slurred speech. Call 911 if someone is exposed to cold temperatures and you see these symptoms.

Check on your friends, family, and neighbors. The elderly, babies in cold bedrooms, people who are frequently outside (e.g., the homeless, hunters), and people who drink alcohol or use drugs are more likely to be harmed from the cold.

Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors. All homes and duplexes in Wisconsin are required to have properly working detectors on every level, including the basement, but not the attic or storage areas. Detectors can be purchased at most hardware stores.

Never run a gasoline or propane heater or a grill (gas or charcoal) inside your home or garage. Any heating system that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide. Use a battery powered detector where you have fuel-burning devices but no electric outlets, such as in tents, cabins, and RVs.

Run generators at a safe distance (at least 20 feet) from the home. Never run a generator in the home or garage, or right next to windows or doors, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Winterize your car. Just as you have a home emergency kit, you need one for your car too. Pack items such as blankets, snacks and water, a shovel, jumper cables, and sand. Keep your gas tank at least half-full.

Limit outdoor time for pets. Extreme cold is dangerous for animals too.

Residents in need of shelter, heating assistance, or warm clothing can call 211 for resources available where they live.

Widespread snow is expected across the southern two thirds of the state Sunday night through Monday. Over 6 inches are possible across the southern half of Wisconsin. Areas from Door County to Kenosha could see higher totals, due to lake effect snow. There is still some uncertainty with the track of this storm and we will have a better idea of snowfall totals later this weekend.

After the snow, dangerous and potential record cold sets in mid-week for the entire state. Beginning Tuesday, low temperatures will range from -20℉ to -30℉, combined with wind chills of -40℉. These bitter cold temperatures will continue into Thursday. The Superior area could see wind chills near -50℉.

To help protect yourself, your family, and your property, consider taking the following steps:

Limit your time outdoors. If you must be outside, dress for the weather. Wear loose-fitting layers, a hat, gloves and snow boots. Make sure you have a scarf or some other way to cover your face.

Know the signs of hypothermia, which include excessive shivering, exhaustion, confusion, and slurred speech. If you or anyone around you begins to show symptoms, call 911 immediately.

Know the signs of frostbite, which include a white or grayish-yellow skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, and numbness. If you detect symptoms, get to a warm area. Do not try to rub them, as it can cause more damage.

Check the supplies in your home and vehicle emergency kits. If food items or batteries have expired or run low, replace them.

Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors around your home. If you can’t remember the last time you changed the batteries, go ahead and replace them.

Check your furnace to make sure it is working properly. If you rely on heating oil or propane, make sure you have enough to last through the current period of cold temperatures and schedule a delivery before you start to run low.

Do not attempt to use gasoline or propane heaters or a grill to heat your home or garage. Those devices produce carbon monoxide, which could be deadly in enclosed areas.

Prepare your vehicle for the possible effects of the cold weather. Keep the gas tank at least half-full. Pack an emergency kit with items such as food, water, extra blankets and warm clothing, booster cables, and a cell phone charger.

Make sure water pipes in unheated areas are properly insulated. If you have faucets served by exposed pipes, let water drip from them or run at a slow trickle to prevent freezing. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow heat to get to the pipes.

If you have pets, limit their time outdoors. Dogs and cats can get frost-bitten ears, nose and feet if left outside during bitter cold weather. For livestock, make sure they have access to extra food and a water source that will not freeze over. Outdoor animals need access to a dry place to seek shelter. Help provide a windbreak for larger animals and an enclosed space for smaller animals to help them retain their body heat.

DUA assistance available for workers impacted by severe storms in August and September.

MADISON – Governor Walker announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to eligible individuals due to a major disaster declared by the President on October 18, 2018. The Department of Workforce Development is accepting applications for DUA from individuals in Crawford, Dane, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Vernon, and Marquette counties, whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and landslides between August 17, 2018 and September 14, 2018.

Individuals living or working in the declared counties have a deadline to file for DUA benefits as follows:

Applications filed after these dates will be considered untimely, unless the individual provides good cause for filing after this date.

To be eligible for DUA individuals:

Must be an unemployed or self-unemployed worker whose unemployment was caused as a direct result of the major disaster declared by the President

Must be a U.S. national or a qualified alien; and

Must not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state; and

Must have worked or were self-employed in, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment in, one of the counties listed above; and

Must establish that the work or self-employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income.

Also, eligible to apply for DUA are individuals who:

Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster; or

Cannot perform work or self-employment because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster; or

Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household; or

Cannot work or perform self-employment due to closure of a facility by the federal government.

All DUA applicants must file for regular unemployment benefits first before receiving consideration for DUA benefits. DUA benefits are not payable if an individual is eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits. Suffering a monetary loss due to damage to property or crops does not automatically entitle an individual to Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

Benefits are based on a person’s earnings for the most recent tax year. As a result, applicants may be asked to furnish earnings data from their most recent federal tax returns when filing a claim. The first potential week payable for DUA benefits is the week ending August 25, 2018.

Individuals in the nine counties declared disaster areas, including those who are self-employed in farming or other businesses, must apply for benefits by the deadlines noted above.

Individuals who may be eligible for assistance must file a claim online. Go to https://dwd.wi.gov/ui/dua for information on how to file a claim. For help using online services or if you are unable to go online, call the DUA hotline at 608-318-7100 during business hours.

FEMA Disaster Assistance may be able to help support your recovery from a major disaster. If you’re ready to apply now for disaster assistance or would like more information on the types of assistance available please visit disasterassistance.gov.

FEMA may be able to provide assistance for damages done to your primary residence. By law, FEMA assistance cannot duplicate the assistance you receive from your insurance company, but you may receive assistance for items not covered by insurance. If your home was impacted by a major disaster we recommend that you apply for assistance. In addition, they may be able to offer disaster assistance for some of your other disaster-caused expenses, including medical and dental, child care, funeral and burial, essential household items, moving and storage, vehicle, and some clean-up items. FEMA also partners with the Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low interest loans for business damages.

After you have registered, a home inspector will contact you. After the home inspection, if you qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you a check by mail or a direct deposit into your checking or savings account and a letter describing how you are to use the money. If you do not qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you a letter explaining why you did not qualify and an opportunity to appeal the decision. Often, not qualifying may be as simple as paperwork errors or a need for more documentation.